Downtown News

As this rendering from abSketches shows, the former Pewterex foundry could one day become a beautiful part of Downtown York's renaisannce, housing everything from a brewery to living spaces. Rending courtesy of abSketches.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

YORK, PA – The location of Downtown Inc’s Fifth Annual Masquerade Ball has been a safely guarded secret. Until now.

the former Pewterex Foundry will host the Downtown Inc Masquerade Ball Presented by Royal Square Development & Construction. Rough around the edges, it will be transformed into an Amazing event space for the celebration.

Downtown Inc CEO Silas Chamberlin announced Friday that the Fifth Annual Downtown Inc Masquerade Ball Presented by Royal Square Development & Construction (RSDC) will be held at the former Pewterex foundry at 145 N. Hartley St., in York. This year’s theme will be Fire & Ice, paying homage to the 54,000-square-foot building’s historic uses as both a foundry and an ice machine manufacturing plant.

“We wanted to push the limits for this milestone Masquerade Ball and choose a truly edgy and unforgettable venue. For one night, we’re taking a vacant industrial building and turning it into a gorgeous event space,” said Silas Chamberlin, CEO of Downtown Inc, Downtown York’s improvement organization. “We can’t think of many other places that represent the story of Downtown York as well as this location does. It’s an opportunity to show York can take a historic site that is rough around the edges and reinvent it as a special place with future potential.”

The Masquerade Ball is Downtown Inc’s signature fundraising event. All proceeds support the organization’s mission to enhance and encourage investment in York’s central business district through economic development, promotions, placemaking and public safety initiatives.

The ball will take place from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., on Saturday, October 27. Masquerade Ball guests will enjoy butlered hors-d'oeuvres, dancing, a cash bar, Tarot card readings, live music from Central City Orchestra and more.

Tickets are on sale now at DowntownYorkPa.com. A limited number of corporate tables remain available.

As presenting sponsor, RSDC is not only donating the event space, but also embarking upon extensive cleaning and renovation efforts to prepare it for the party of the year.

RSDC has tabbed the building “The Foundry” and believes it has the same potential as The Bond, a former janitorial supply warehouse the company transformed into an industrial-chic event space. The Foundry could host everything from a large brewery, a restaurant, living space and more.

“While it’s a blank canvas today, The Foundry could one day anchor the western edge of Downtown York and reinvigorate the neighborhoods around it,” said Dylan Bauer, President of Development at Royal Square Development & Construction. “We want everyone who comes to the Masquerade Ball to see the same potential in this space that we did when we purchased it in 2017.”

The site was home to residential duplexes heading into the turn of the 20th century. The York Manufacturing Company – which made everything from water wheels to washing machines to ice machines – built The Foundry in in 1907, a time when the city was growing as a regional industrial center. It expanded over the next 16 years.

In 1927, York Manufacturing became the York Ice Machinery Corporation, a maker of artificial ice that put York on the map for air conditioning and refrigeration. Borg-Warner purchased the company in 1956, and then spun it off as York International in 1986. When York International was sold to Johnson Controls in 2005, it was the largest independent manufacturer of air conditioning, heating and refrigeration machinery, according to RSDC.

The Foundry eventually became the home of Pewterex, which forged handcrafted, custom metalware products from molten aluminum alloys that resembled pewter. Royal Square purchased the facility for redevelopment in 2017.

Downtown Inc hosts the Masquerade Ball at a different location each year. Previous venues include the Agricultural & Industrial Museum, Martin Library, Penn Market and the Old York City Post Office.

“We couldn’t undertake an event of this magnitude without the support of our sponsors,” Chamberlin said. “Downtown Inc appreciates Royal Square Development & Construction for its efforts to revitalize Downtown York. We thank all our Masquerade Ball sponsors for helping us build a stronger downtown improvement organization.”

Downtown Inc is THE organization working to drive, enhance and encourage investment in York’s central business district through economic development, promotions, placemaking and public safety. Downtown Inc is the trade name for a joint venture between the York Business Improvement District Authority and Main Street York, a 501(c)(3) not for profit. Visitwww.DowntownYorkPa.com for more information.